आश्रमवासिक पर्व — भीमको क्रूर कर्म; धृतराष्ट्र र युधिष्ठिरको शोक

The people who lived in the Kuru kingdom could not mark any difference in the cordiality which existed between king Yudhishthira and the father of Duryodhana.

When the Kuru king recollected his wicked son, he then could not but feel unfriendly, in his heart, towards Bhima.

Bhiimasena also, O king, moved by a wicked heart, was unable to put up with king Dhritarashtra.

Vrikodara secretly did many deeds that were disagreeable to the old king. Through deceitful servants he caused the commands of his uncle to be disobeyed.

Recollecting the evil advice of the old king and some deeds of his, Bhima, one days, in the midst of his friends, slapped his armpits, in the hearing of Dhritarashtra and of Gandhari. The angry Vrikodara, recollecting his enemies Duyrodhana and Karna and Dushasana, gave way to a fit of passion, and said these harsh words :-'The sons of the blind king, capable of fighting with various kinds of weapons, have all been dispatched by me to the other world with these arms of mine which resemble a pair of iron clubs.

Indeed, these are those two arms of mine, loO king like maces of iron, and invincible by cnemies, coming within whose clasp the sons of Dhritarashtra have all been killed.

These are those two well-developed and round arms of mine, resembling a pair of elephantine trunks. Coming within their clasp, the foolish sons of Dhritarashtra have all been killed.

Smeared with sandal-paste and deserving of that adornment are those two arms of mine by which Duryodhana has been sent to the other world along with all his sons and kinsmen.'

Hearing these and many other words, O king, of Vrikodara, which were so many darts, king Dhritarashtra gave way to cheerlessness and sorrow.

Queen Gandhari, however, who conversant with every duty and endued with great intelligence, and who knew what Time brings on its course, considered them as untrue.

Then, after fifteen years had passed away, o monarch, king Dhritarashtra, afflicted (constantly) by the wordy arrows of Bhima, became stricken with despair and sorrow.

King Yudhishthira thc son of Kunti, however, knew it not; nor Arjuna of white horses; nor Kunti; nor Draupadi possessed of great fame; nor the twin sons of Madri, knowing every duty and who were always engaged in acting after the wishes of Dhritarashtra. was to

Employed in doing the behest's of the king, the twins never said anything that was disagreeable the old king. Then Dhritarashtra one day honoured his friends by his confidence. Addressing them with tearful eyes, he said these words.

Dhritarashtra said You know how the destruction of Kurus has happened. All that was brought about by my fault, though the Kauravas approved of all my counsels.

Fool that I was, I installed the wickedminded Duryodhana, that enhancer of the terrors of kinsmen, to rule over the Kurus.

Vasudeva had said to me, 'Let this sinful wretch of wicked understanding be slain along with all his friends and counselors.' I did not listen to those words of great significance. All wise men gave me the same beneficial advice. Vidura, Bhishina, Drona, and Kripa said the same thing. The holy and great Vyasa repeatedly said the same, as also Sanjaya and Gandhari. Overwhelmed, however, by filial affection, I could not follow that advice. Bitter repentance is now my lot for my neglect.

I also repent for not having bestowed that blazing prosperity, derived from sires and grandsires on the great Pandavas possessed of every accomplishment.

The eldest brother of Gada foresaw the destruction of all the king; Janardana, however, considered that destruction as highly beneficial.

So many battalions of troops belonging to me, have been destroyed! Alas, my heart is pierced with thousands of darts on account of all these results.

Of wicked understanding as I am, now, after the lapse of fifteen years, I am trying to expiate my sins.

Now at the fourth division of the day or sometimes at the eighth division, with the regularity of a vow, I eat a little food for simply satisfying my thirst. Gandhari knows this.

All my attendants believe that I eat as usual. Through feat of Yudhishthira alone I concealed my deeds, for if the eldest son of Pandu came to know of my vow, he would feel great pain.

Clad in deer-skin, I lie down on the Earth, spreading a small quantity of Kusha grass, and pass the time in silent recitations. The illustrious Gandhari, also, passes her time in the observance of similar vows.

Thus do we both act, we who have lost a hundred sons none of whom ever retreated from battle. I do not, however, grieve for those children of mine. They have all died while performing Kshatriya duties.

Having said these words, the old king then addressed Yudhishthira in particular and said, 'Blessed by you, O son of the princess of Yudu's race! Listen now to what I say.

Cherished by you, O son, I have lived these years very happily. I have (with your help) made large gifts and performed Sharaddhas repeatedly.

I have, O son, to the best of my power, acquired merit largely. This Gandhari, though destitute of sons, has lived with great fortitude, loO king all the while at me.

They who inflicted great wrongs on Draupadi and robbed you of your affluence, those cruel men-have all left the world, killed in battle according to the practice of their order.

I have nothing to do for them, O delighter of the Kurus! Killed with their faces towards battle, they have attained to those regions which reserved for the wielders of weapons.

I should now, do what is bencficial and meritorious for me as also for Gandhari. O great king, you should grant mc permission. are

You are the foremost of all righteous persons. You are always devoted to virtue. The king is the preceptor of all creatures. It is for this that I say so.

With your permission, O hero, I shall retire into the forest, clad in rags and darks, O king, along with this Gandhari.

I shall live in the forest, always blessing you. It is proper, O son, for the members of our family, to make over sovereignty, when old age comes, to children and lead the forest mode of life. Living there on air alone, or abstaining froin all food, I shall, with this wife of mine, O hero, practice severe austeities.

You shall be a sharer of those penances, o son, for you are the king. Kings are sharers of both auspicious and inauspicious acts done in their kingdom.

Yudhishthira said When you, O king, are thus subject to grief, sovereignty does not please me at all. Fie on me who am of wicked understanding, devoted o the pleasures of own and absolutely negligent of my true concerns.

Alas, I, with all my brothers, was ignorant of yourself having so long been stricken with grief, emaciated with fasts, abstaining from food, and lying on the naked earth.

Alas, foolish that I am, I have been deceived by you who have great intelligence, inasmuch as, having filled me with confidence at first you have latterly undergone such grief.

What need have I of kingdom or of articles of enjoyment, what need of sacrifices or of happiness, when you, O king, have undergone so much affliction.

I consider my kingdom as a disease, and myself also as afflicted. Plunged though I am in sorrow, what however, is the sue of these words that I am addressing you?

You are our father, you are our mother; you are our foremost of superiors. Deprived of your presence, how shall we live.

O best of kings, let Yuyutsu, the son of your loins, be made king, or indeed, anybody else whom you may wish.

I shall go into the forest. Do you rule the kingdom You should not burn me who am already burned by infamy.

I am not the king. You are the king. I am dependent on your will. How can I dare grant permission to you who are my preceptor?

O sinless one, I cherish no resentment in my heart on account of the wrongs done to us by Suyodhana. It was ordained that it should be so. Both ourselves and others were stupefied (by fate).

We are your children as Duryodhana and others were. My conviction is that Gandhari is as much my mother as Kunti.

If you, O king of kings, go to the forest leaving me, I shall then follow you. I swear by iny soul.

This Earth, with her belt of seas, so full of riches, will not be a source of joy to me when I am deprived of your presence.

All this belongs to you. Bending my head low I make my obeisance. We are all dependent on you, O king of kings. Let the fever of your heart be removed.

I think, O king, that all this that has come upon you is due to destiny. By good luck, I had thought, that waiting upon you and executing your commands obediently, I would rescue you from the fever of your heart.

Dhritarashtra said-Odelighter of the Kurus, my mind is fixed, O son, on penances. O powerful one, it is proper for our family that I should retire into the forest.

I have lived long under your protection, O son. I have for many years been served by you with respect. I am now old. You should, O king, grant me permission.

Vaishampayana said Having said these words to king Yudhishthira the just, king Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, trembling all the while and with hands joined together, further said to the great Sanjaya and the great car-warrior Kripa, these words: I wish to solicit the king through you.

My mind has become dispirited, my mouth has become dry, through the weakness of age and the exertion of speaking.

Having said so, that perpetuator of Kuru's race, viz., the pious old king, blessed with prosperity, leaned to Gandhari and suddenly looked like one dcad.

Seeing him thus seated like one shom of consciousness, that destroyer of hostile heroes, viz., the royal son of Kunti, became penetrated by a piercing grief.

on me am Yudhishthira said Alas, he whose strength was equal to that of a hundred thousand elephants, alas, that king sits today, learning on a woman.

Alas, he by whom the iron image of Bhima on a former occasion was reduced to pieces, leans today on a weak woman.

Fic who exceedingly unrighteous. Fie on my understanding. Fie on my knowledge of the scriptures. Fie on me for whom this king lies today in a manner that is not worthy of him.

I also shall fast even as my preceptor. Indeed, I shall fast if this king and Gandhari of great fame abstain from food.

Vaishampayana said The Pandava king, knowing every duty, using his own hand, then softly rubbed with cold water the breast and the face of the old king.

At the touch of the king's hand which was auspicious and fragrant, and on which were jewels and medicinal herb's, Dhritarashtra regained his consciousness.

Dhritarashtra said Do you, again, touch me, O son of Pandu, with your hand, and do you embrace me. O you having eyes like lotus petals, I am restored to my senses through the auspicious touch of your hand.

O king, I wish to smell your head. The clasp of your arms is highly gratifying to me.

This is the eighth division of the day and therefore, the hour for taking may food. For not having taken my food, O scion of Kuru's race, I am so weak that I cannot move.

Great has been my exertion while soliciting you. Rendered cheerless by it, O son, I had fainted.

O perpetuator of Kuru's race, I think that receiving the touch of your hand, which is like nectar in its vivifying effects I have been restored to my senses.

Thus addressed, O Bharata, by the eldest brother of his father, the son of Kunti, from affection, gently touched every part of his body.

Regaining his life, king Dhritarashtra embraced the son of Pandu with his arms and smelled his head.

Vidura and others wept aloud in great sorrow. On account, however, of thc poignancy of their sorrow, they said nothing to either the old king or the son of Pandu.

Gandhari, knowing every duty, bore her sorrow with patience, and loaded as her heart was,, O king, said nothing.

The other ladies, Kunti among them, became greatly afflicted. They wept, shedding profuse tears, and sat surrounding the old king.

Then Dhritarashtra, once more addressing Yudhishthira, said these words-Do you, O king, permit me to practice penance's.

By speaking repeatedly, O son, my mind becomes weakened. You should not, O son, afflict me after this.

When that foremost one of Kuru's race was saying so to Yudhishthira, a loud sound of wailing arose from all the warriors there present.

Seeing his royal father of great splendour, emaciated and palc, reduced to unworthy of him worn out with fasts, and loO king like skeleton covered with skin, Dharma's son Yudhishthira shed tears of grief and once more said these words.

a state O foremost of men, I do not wish for life and the Earth! O scorcher of enemies, I shall engage myself in doing what is pleasant to you.

If I deserve your favour, if I am dear to you, do you eat something. I shall then know what to do.

Gifted with great energy, Dhritarashtra then said to Yudhishthira, “I wish, O son, to take some food, with your permission.

When Dhritarashtra said these words to Yudhishthira, Datyavati's son Vyasa came the and said as follows.